27 Comments
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Lee Elocin's avatar

this poem sits so well with my first meaningful death.

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Michael Hills's avatar

I really appreciate your wisdom- that it's in departures that we come to know how much we have loved others. To hedge my bets, I just gave my dog a big hug. Which, by the way, he only tolerated.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you. Those dogs! Keeping us on our toes!

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Steve Lovelace's avatar

Absolutely Beautiful. Thank You

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Steve.

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Stephanie Carillo's avatar

What a beautiful poem about the joyful moments we experience in life, and the moments full of sorrow. Dogs are such an integral part of many of our lives - they too must face letting go in the face of loss, suffering, and death. So profound! Thank you for sharing!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you for the kind words!

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Eunice M. Flanders's avatar

Wow! Wonderful poem. I love the turns. I had to say goodbye to a beloved beagle when the pandemic hit. I received on last kiss as he lay on the table, injected with lethal poison and his spirit flew.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Condolences on your loss. That must have been so crushing. I hope you find comfort in the memories of your beloved beagle.

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Wayne Kigerl's avatar

That's great, Sherman. Although great is a funny word. Grief, not always so much.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Wayne. Great can be a complicated world. The Great Gatsby is not, after all, about greatness.

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Wayne Kigerl's avatar

But the sexy Gatsby Dresses aren't bad.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

And the shirts, all the beautiful shirts!

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Wayne Kigerl's avatar

I'm sure as hell not going to start smelling my ass though.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Ha!

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Wendy's avatar

Nicely unforgettable title too . . . twists from the get-go.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you. That title just popped into my head, a compound of The Dogs of War, an oft used term, and War & Peace, the classic novel.

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Arjan Tupan's avatar

Beautiful. Going to give my dog a cuddle now.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Good doggie!

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Amanda Roe's avatar

So beautiful. Thank you for this prayer-poem.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Randy.

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Elena Solow's avatar

Just back to New York from Mexico where I had no tv. War is so depressing. Dogs are good. I’m not watching tv yet. Dogs of war….lord have mercy. I’ll think of the sunflowers I bought in Oaxaca the day before I left. They are the state flower of the Ukraine.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

There is a lot of stress. I’m reminded of my childhood and Cold War fears.

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Zora's avatar

This will now be my go-to poem for whenever I feel the need for a good cry.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you.

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Jay Lenzi's avatar

Wow, sitting in my car crying for lost dogs and friends… dammit man! My 15 yo can’t see me like this!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Jay. Such an odd thing that making a person cry is a big part of my job. Yeah, the grief of losing our loved ones..

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